Changing patterns
by Magdelope
Summary: Róisín Ancelet, journalist and former best friend of Diana Allers, used to be a dancer at Afterlife. But working for Aria turns out to be more than just a way to pay her bills. Femslash, Aria/OC. More description within.


_Okay, this have been swimming in my head for a long time now. It's sort of a long story compressed into one single day in the life of a woman called _

_Róisín Ancelet. She started as a dancer in Afterlife, but then Aria found other uses for her. Enjoy my little impromptu story._

* * *

It was supposed to be a short visit. The woman came onboard and Shepard showed her around quickly, introducing her to some of the most important people. The commander had not expected the cold reaction that the woman, Róisín, got from Liara.

"This is a bad idea," Liara said and looked at Shepard.

"What is it?" Shepard asked, "Miss Ancelet was just..."

"She is not who she says she is, I think," Liara said. Róisín looked up; eyeing Liara carefully. Then she sighed and looked back at Shepard.

"Aria T'loak requests your... assistance, your help with a certain... delicate matter."

"How did you know?" Shepard asked Liara.

"Aria's pheromones are all over her," Liara said. Róisín's cheeks turned a bit red and she looked down.

"Who are you?" Shepard asked.

"My name is Róisín Ancelet, and I am really Diana Aller's friend. I just didn't tell you that I am also the eyes and ears of Aria when it comes to certain public matters. Being the Queen of Omega, despite it's many benefits, makes it impossible for her to move freely in certain circles. I can however."

"I doubt that," Liara interrupted, "with the way you smell most people would know where your loyalties lie."

Róisín felt her cheeks heat again.

"Well," she said, "that wasn't really planned."

Shepard crossed her arms over her chest, not sure what to do with the woman in front of her.

"Let's put her in the cargohold for now."

Róisín Ancelet made no resistance and let herself be led down to the cargohold where she was locked inside a steel cage. She didn't think that they would be stupid enough to throw her out an airlock. She sat down on the floor, pulled her knees up to her chin and rested her head on them, hoping that she would drift off to sleep.

After an hour or so, a gentle voice woke her up.

"Róisín?"

"Diana!" Róisín stood up and went to the bar towards her childhood friend, "Shepard let you see me?"

"Well, it's not like I'm going to let you out," Diana said, "we're in space now anyway. Where would we go?"

Róisín chuckled.

"We made it." Refering to the time when they had just been two little girls wanting nothing more than to experience space travel.

"We did." Diana nodded but then looked concerned, "really, Róisín? Aria T'loak? How did that happen? I haven't seen you since university."

"I didn't exactly plan it," Róisín said, wondering what would be safe to tell her friend. Part of her wanted to tell her everything. But she also knew that whatever she told Diana, Aria would later know through the meld.

"I worked as a stripper for a while," Róisín said, "but quite soon Aria noticed that she had better... uses for me. I could access places where she can't move as freely and easily and later she could simply see it through my eyes by melding with me."

Róisín left out the months leading up to that moment. Months of dancing in Afterlife. Months of Aria trying to seduce her and Róisín resisting; claiming that she was not going to. Months of disgusting humans, and turians and others reaching for her with their hands. Róisín didn't like it. She had just needed the money.

"That's interesting," Diana said, a dangerous gleam waking up in her eyes, "what..."

"I don't know if I should be talking with you about this," Róisín said carefully, "you are the press after all."

"If you ask me not to the tell, I won't," Diana tried but she could see that her friend didn't trust her. It didn't matter that they had been inseperable as children, throughout high school and throughout university. They hadn't met in over six years. Six years filled with stress, worry, confusing love and danger.

"Can you answer some things?"

Róisín sighed.

"What do you want to know?" She asked, defeated. She was sad that it seemed like her friend was more interested in learning about the queen of Omega, than making sure she was alright.

"Are you and her...?" Diana made a gesture with her hands, searching for the right words, "close?"

"I'm nothing more than a priced possession," Róisín said, "she likes what I can do for her, acting as her eyes and ears. I make her laugh. She thinks I'm nice to look at. She still makes me dance for her sometimes." The woman kept quiet about the few times that Aria had hinted that Róisín was more than just a pretty, useful thing.

"But you... you slept with her?"

Róisín couldn't help it. Warmth rose to her cheeks and even though she tried to keep her facial expression neutral, she couldn't help the faint smile that reached her lips.

"We didn't plan it," she said again, just like she had told Liara and Shepard a bit earlier. They hadn't planned it. They had just sat down to meld like they always did when Róisín returned to Omega, giving Aria the details of things she had learned. It had been common for them by them. But Róisín couldn't help that her heart was beating faster as Aria got closer, cupping her face and bringing their foreheads to touch. Instead of the political and social secrets and facts that Róisín usually offered all she could send through the link was confused desire and attraction. They hadn't planned it. Aria hadn't propositioned her for months. It wasn't supposed to happen. But they couldn't stop at one kiss. Not when they had all those months behind them; months of wanting and yearning but refusing to admit it.

"What was she like?" Diana asked, she couldn't help herself.

Róisín remained quiet for a moment, she searched for an answer that Aria would be okay with. The last thing the queen of Omega wanted was to appear soft in any way.

"Rough," she said, "dominating. Not inconsiderate but not overly considerate either."

Diana sighed.

"You're so boring!" The journalist exclamed, "is that all you can give me?"

Róisín looked down. She didn't know what Aria was like with others. But she doubted that what she had experienced was Aria's regular routine. It had been hot and warm, accompanied by kisses and bites and licks. Róisín had never slept with anybody else; she didn't know if that was why Aria had been so gentle with her. If that was why Aria had held her trembling body afterwards. Why she had kissed not only her lips but her cheeks, nose and eyelids. Róisín never wanted that night to end. But it had. And since then Aria had been colder towards her.

Róisín had almost thought their little arrangement was over until Aria had come to get her off of Omega just before those bandits got it. The woman had heard the shooting, the fighting; she had seen the fear in Aria's eyes. Aria didn't get scared, but at that moment she was. In the shuttle, Róisín had tried to comfort the fallen queen but Aria had irritably waved her hand away. Róisín had stayed in Aria's room for the few weeks she had stayed on the citadel before seeking Shepard out. Aria had rarely, if ever, been there; she had spent her time in Purgatory, drinking and sulking.

On the fifth day Aria had asked Róisín to find Shepard and ask her to help take Omega back. But not before she messed with her a little bit, maybe walk around the Normandy. Whatever Róisín saw or heard, Aria could experience later. Róisín hadn't expected for Shepard to actually lock her in.

"Where are we going?" She asked Diana, ignoring the other question.

"Nowhere," Diana said, "who knows why Shepard does anything? I think she mainly..." she was interuppted by approaching footsteps.

"Speak of the devil," Diana said and stepped aside.

"Where are we going?" Róisín repeated her question to the commander.

"We're going back to the citadel," Shepard replied, "I doubt that Aria would appreciate us keeping her... well, whatever you are, captive for long. And I don't mind lending her a hand either."

Róisín looked relieved.

"Thank you," she said.

Shepard nodded and left. Diana stayed for a little while, talking and trying to reconnect with her friend. But they couldn't go back to the way things were, because neither of them were the same people. After barely 30 minutes EDI announced that they had docked at the citadel and that Shepard gave Diana permission to let Róisín out and take her to the bridge. They were going to see Aria.

...

Róisín felt nervous about being in Aria's presence again. It had been comfortable and easy once; fun even. But now everything seemed so serious. Róisín was even scared that the queen of Omega was going to be upset that Shepard had found out so soon; she had barely gotten any information on the Normandy or Shepard at all.

They walked in to Purgatory together; Róisín and Shepard with a constant grip on her arm. It wasn't hard to spot Aria, looking fairly comfortable on a sofa, even though she was currently arguing with a C-sec officer.

Róisín and Shepard arrived just in time to hear the officer accuse Aria.

"So you admit that you and your friends are here illegally?"

Aria was chuckling.

"Yes," she replied, "and it only took C-sec three weeks to figure it out."

The officer was furious.

"Whoever you are," she said in the most threatening voice she could muster, "you have to go through processing like everyone else. Come with me."

"I don't think so," Aria said and shook her head, "Shirk, get me the asari councilor."

Róisín and Shepard remained quiet while Aria simply called Councilor Tevos up and fixed it without lifting a finger. The C-sec officer was clearly appalled by what she thought was proof of a corrupt council, but Shepard knew that it was just good business.

The queen of Omega looked up and noticed her visitors. Her eyes briefly landed on Róisín but then immidiately switched focus to Shepard.

"Enjoying the show, Shepard?" She asked her.

Shepard let go of Róisín now, convinced that the woman wouldn't try to run away, and sat down on the sofa next to Aria.

"I guess there is one rule on the citadel, huh?" She asked.

"I guess so," Aria said, but she sounded far away. Róisín felt sad when she could sense how much sadness and worry that Aria was actually feeling.

"I hate this place," Aria continued, more power behind her words this time, "so sickeningly uptight."

"Then why are you here?"

Aria raised an eyebrow in Róisín direction, surprised that she hadn't told. _Good girl, _Aria thought.

But then she thought of her plight and had to stand up to not blow up in anger. She forced her voice to remain calm but couldn't stop her twitching facial muscles.

"Cerberus stole Omega from me," she said, "the Illusive man is now squarely at the top of my shit list." Her voice dropped lower, "he will pay for every second I have spent in this bureaucratic hell-hole."

"How did Cerberus defeat _you_?" Shepard asked.

"Deciet, distraction and a big fucking army," Aria replied, "they lured me away from Omega and ambushed me. I escaped but Cerberus had already... doesn't matter. By the time I was ready to launch an assualt, they were already too entrenched."

"If it were me," Shepard said, "I would want revenge."

"I'm glad we think alike," Aria said with just the hint of a smile, "but enough about that. I will get Omega back. But you are here because I have a proposition for you."

"No," Shepard said calmly, "I am here because you sent a spy to the Normandy."

"She is not a spy," Aria replied equally calm, "and she is harmless, trust me. Forget about her." Then Aria proceeded by telling Shepard that it was also in her interest that the war against the reapers be won. Róisín let her thoughts drift away. She was harmless. She was nothing. _Forget about her. _Aria had always treated her like that in front of others. It still hurt. She didn't know how this had happened. How she had gone from a young woman with a bright future in journalism to... this. It wasn't a life she had prepared for.

Shepard left after a while, leaving Róisín awkwardly sitting next to Aria; the music pounding in her ears.

"I... should get back," Róisín said after she could no longer stand the silence between them, "they had me locked up and I would love a bath."

Aria didn't reply or look at her but nodded. Róisín looked at her, wishing for a reaction. Anything. When Aria didn't give her any, the human stood up and walked away. She would return to the accomodations that had been set up for her.

It was nice to be in something that served as a home. On omega she had a small apartment not far from Afterlife, but it didn't really feel like home. Róisín pulled off her clothes and went to the bathroom, enjoying the cold air on her naked skin. She stopped by the mirror before going into the beckoning tub. She briefly touched the scar that ran from her eyebrow to her chin. It had been a customer in Afterlife. Aria had made sure he was thrown out of an airlock.

Róisín asked for nothing. She hadn't wanted Aria's attention. She had refused it. But now she found herself craving it. She wanted Aria to smile. To be safe. She wanted a chance to kiss the queen of Omega again.

She started testing the water by dipping her right foot when she heard the door open and quick steps. She turned around just in time to see Aria come through the door. The asari didn't hesitate, she walked forward and planted her lips on Róisín's, pulling her closer. Róisín was so surprised her initial reaction was to pull backwards but she soon relaxed and brought her arms around Aria's neck.

Aria pulled back, a bit breathless. She almost smiled at the pink blush that now covered Róisín's cheek. _Humans are so weird. _

"I was thinking," Aria said, "a bath doesn't sound too bad."

Róisín nodded but couldn't find any words. She helped Aria with the straps on her corsette and then sat down in the water with her back to the edge of the tub. When Aria was finally naked, she sat down in front of Róisín, between her legs and leaned back. Róisín felt the tension in Aria's body and started rubbing her hands up and down Aria's arms and over her shoulders. The asari tried to relax and leaned fully back, letting her head drop on Róisín's shoulder.

"Mmmm," Aria hummed, feeling herself almost relax. She would not relax until Omega was back under her thumb. But right here, right now, it almost felt as if everything was okay. Which was dangerous. Aria could not afford letting her guard down, not even with this woman whom she trusted.

She initiated a shallow meld, the skin contact more than enough. Róisín happily lowered any walls she had up, letting Aria in. They shared the events of the day; Róisín showing what she had seen of the Normandy. When they got to the part of Liara smelling Aria on Róisín, Aria pulled back a bit, leaving her human feeling cold even though they were still pressed together.

"I'm sorry," Róisín whispered, keeping her hands still. Then she giggled, "I promise I took a shower after."

To her relief Aria chuckled at that, but didn't seek the meld again. Instead she leaned back and laid still while Róisín picked up some soap and started to wash her. The asari sighed, enjoying the impromptu massage and started running her hands up and down Róisín's legs. The human got courage from somewhere and hesitantly let her left palm encircle one purple breast, revelling at how the nipple instantly hardened.

"Aria," she whispered. Aria turned around slowly until she was lying on her stomach between Róisín's thighs.

"Aria," Róisín whispered again; temporarily incapable of saying anything else.

"Don't worry," Aria said, her eyes carrying an uncharastical gentleness that made Róisín's chest ache, "I've got you." Róisín answered by lifting her neck and placing a soft peck on Aria's lips.

...

It felt so strange. Normal. After their bath and love making they had sat down on the sofa in the bedroom. Róisín was laying down with her head in Aria's lap and the asari was slowly pulling her fingers through the long black hair of the human.

"You know you are not returning to Omega with me," Aria said after a while.

Róisín sighed and looked sad but nodded.

"I know," she said. Their arrangement was over now. Aria couldn't have somebody she cared about so close. It might cloud her judgement or be used against her. It didn't matter that Róisín was willing to risk her life; Aria was not.

"Will I see you again?" The human asked.

"Who knows?" Aria replied, "I hope not."

Róisín nodded again. She understood what the queen of Omega meant. It would probably be better for them both if they didn't meet again.

"You have enough credits to last you a while," Aria continued, "do you have any other plans?"

"Be a journalist," Róisín said with a smile, "it's what I'm trained to do. And after working for you I have learned a thing or two."

"Do you regret coming to work for me?" Aria asked while mindlessly continuing to stroak Róisín's hair.

"Never," Róisín said, "I don't regret a single moment."

...

"_Is that Aria T'loak?" Róisín asked the asari that was having her break in the same time. It was Róisín's first month as a dancer at Afterlife and even though she knew in abstract that it was the Queen of Omega that was her employer this was the first time she saw her._

"_That's her alright," the other dancer said but then looked down, "she's coming here. Quick... do... umm.. something!" She then put on a ingratiating smile at the purple asari who came closer._

"_My new dancers, I see," Aria said._

"_My name is Yaveena," the asari said, putting on a seductive smile. _

"_I'm Róisín," the human said but Aria wasn't paying attention to her; she didn't feel much for humans in general. Instead she smiled at the other asari with a wicked gleam in her eyes. _

"_Yaveena, huh?" She asked. _

_Róisín shook her head and laughed at her new friend's completely blissful face as Aria leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Her break was over though, and she pulled her fingers through her hair one last time and then went towards the door. Before she had a chance to open it though, the queen called to her._

"_Hey you," Róisín turned around,"Rosh... R..."_

" _Róisín."_

"_Yeah. Take one of the platforms by my couch. I think it would be a good place for you to dance."_

_Then Aria left, dragging a giddy Yaveena with her. _

_..._

The next day when Róisín woke up, she was alone. The bed was cold next to her, meaning that it had been several hours since Aria had left. There was no note, nothing. It was as if she had never been there. The woman searched her feelings, but felt nothing. She wasn't sad; she wasn't happy. She was just numb. She turned to the side, sat up and stretched her arms and legs. She knew what she had to do. Róisín was going to get up, get on with her day and then live her life.

**The End**


End file.
